Stovetop Guard

ABSTRACT

A stovetop guard having a substantially rectangular shape for placement over the top of a stove for protection thereof. One or more cutouts are disposed the stovetop guard and correspond to the burners of a stovetop, so that the burner can extend through the cutout to allow for cooking and the like while applied thereto. The guard is substantially flexible and is preferably composed of a flame retardant and flame resistant material. One or more covers engage with the cutouts and can be removably secured thereto via fasteners, such as hook and loop fasteners. The guard protects the surface of a stovetop and areas thereof from accumulation of grease, foodstuffs, and other debris.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/990,284 filed on May 8, 2014. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to stovetop guards. More specifically, the present invention provides a stovetop guard that is adapted for placement over a stovetop for laying flush thereagainst having a plurality of cutouts adapted to engage with the burners of a stove. Further, the guard includes one or more removable covers that can be secured over the cutouts in order to cover and protect burners that are not in use.

Stovetops often become dirty and can become stained with grease, oil, or splattered food. These substances can be difficult to remove from the stovetop and provide a messy appearance. Cleaning a stovetop by hand can be time consuming and laborious. Various cleaning supplies and chemicals may need to be used in order to remove the substances on the stovetop, however, such cleaning supplies can be expensive and can be dangerous if not used properly. Further, the stovetop can become permanently stained or damaged from accumulated food and from chemical cleaning supplies. Thus, a device for protecting the stovetop to prevent the accumulation of grease, oil or other substances thereon is desired.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to splash guards. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to splash or grease guards that can be utilized with countertops and stoves in order to protect the burners and controls thereof. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.

Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,105 to Merritt provides a stove burner shield having folding splashguards and a cover portion for stove control knobs. The device comprises a plurality of panels for covering each of the burners on a stove, wherein the covers can be removed by the user when desired. The device is adapted to act as a safety barrier to prevent a child from turning the stove knobs and to prevent burn injuries. In contrast, the present invention can be utilized while cooking in order to prevent grease and other foodstuffs from accumulating on the stovetop.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,866,035 to Haemerle discloses a freestanding portable splatter shield for use in kitchens and other food processing work areas that prevents the splashing of grease and the like from staining the area behind a stove. The device is collapsible can be placed around the perimeter of a stove to cover the wall therebehind. However, the present invention protects the top area of the stove adjacent to the burners and is washable, portable and reusable as needed.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,928 to Lewis allows for a splatter guard that can be mounted onto the top of a stove and projects outwardly from the range at an obtuse angle in order to prevent a child from gaining access to the top surface of the stove. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,667 to Seeley provides a U-shaped guard for protecting the control knobs of a stove and is pivotally secured to the stovetop via pivots. Further, the guard of Seeley is removable for cleaning. These devices offer little utility in the way of protecting the surface of a stovetop from grease and other stains

U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,942 to Williams provides a grease shield for range controls on a stove that comprises a flexible material that can extend over controls located on a stove. The device can extend and retract as needed. The present invention however, provides a guard that can be placed over top of the surface of a stove having cutouts through which the individual burners of a stove can extend, enabling a user to cook while the device is in place so as to protect the stovetop from splattered oil and food.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,856 to Trombatore describes a splatter screen for a countertop that can be placed adjacent to the burners of a cooking stove in order to protect the walls and appliances near the stove. This device, however, does not protect the surface of stovetop from food spills, grease and the like.

These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. The above discussed devices do not utilize a splash or stovetop guard that provides a flexible mat that can be placed over top of the surface of a stove and lays flush thereagainst having one or more cutouts adapted to engage with the burners of the stove so that the burners can extend therethrough. In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing splash guard devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of splash guards now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new splash guard, wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when cooking with a standard cooking stove having burners.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved stovetop guard device that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a stovetop guard adapted to be placed onto the surface of a stovetop.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stovetop guard having a plurality of cutouts adapted to engage with the burners of a stovetop.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stovetop guard that is flexible.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a stovetop guard that is washable.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a stovetop guard that is flame and/or fire resistant.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a stovetop guard that comprises removable covers for the cutouts thereon so that one or more cutouts can be covered when not in use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows an overhead view of the stovetop guard having cutouts and removable covers.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the stovetop guard placed over the surface of a stovetop having a plurality of cutouts through which a burner is extended through one thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the stovetop guard. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for placement over top of a cooking stove in order to prevent the surface thereof from becoming accumulated with grease ad foodstuffs. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an overhead view of the stovetop guard 11 having one or more cutouts and removable covers. The stovetop guard 11 comprises a flexible mat 12 having a first side and a second side. The stovetop guard 11 preferably comprises a square shape structure in order to cover the entire upper surface of a stovetop. The mat 12 is substantially padded and comprises one or more cutouts 13 disposed thereon. The cutouts 13 are adapted to allow the burner of a stove to extend therethrough. The cutouts 13 comprise a circular shape in a preferred embodiment, however the cutouts 13 can be square shaped in an alternative embodiment and/or any other suitable shape. Further, the cutouts 13 can be arranged in a square configuration, such that there are four cutouts.

Each of the cutouts 13 provides a perimeter edge, wherein fasteners 15 such as hook and loop fasteners are disposed and extend along the perimeter edge of each of the cutouts 13. However, the fasteners 15 are not limited to hook and loop fasteners and can be other suitable fasteners such as magnets, snaps, zippers, buttons and/or adhesives.

The stovetop guard 11 provides a plurality of covers 14 having a first side, a second side and a perimeter edge. The covers 14 provide a circular shape in a preferred embodiment and are adapted to correspond with the plurality of cutouts 13 on the mat 12 portion of the stovetop guard 11. The covers 14 are circular shaped in a preferred embodiment and provide hook and loop fasteners 16 on the perimeter edge of the second side thereof that are adapted to mate with the hook and loop fasteners 15 on the perimeter edge of the plurality of cutouts 13 on the mat 12 portion and as such function to seal cutout 13.

In operation, the user can place the mat 12 of the stovetop guard 11 onto the surface of a standard cooking stove, wherein the second side of the mat 12 lays flush against the surface of the stovetop and can remain thereon until removed by the user. The user can align the cutouts 13 of the mat 12 with the burners in order to enable the perimeter of the cutouts 13 to remain alongside and around the perimeter of the burners of the stove. The user can proceed to cook as usual via turning on the burners, wherein the mat 12 will not become overheated and/or burn. The stovetop guard 11 is composed of a heat resistant and/or flame retardant material, and can be composed of rubber, plastic, foam, neoprene and/or other suitable materials.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of the stovetop guard 11 placed over the surface of a stovetop of a standard stove 26 having a plurality of cutouts. The stovetop guard 11 can be placed over the top area of the stove 26 and the burners can extend through to allow for cooking. The perimeter of the burners 25 can rest against the perimeter edge of the cutouts and are aligned therewith. The mat 12 portion prevents grease, food and other debris from staining and/or damaging the surface of the stovetop to which it is applied. Once the user has finished cooking, the user can place the first side of the cover 14 over the cutouts of the mat 12 in order to cover the burner, wherein the hook and loop fasteners on the first side of the cover can engage with the hook and loop fasteners 15 on the perimeter of the cutout on the first side of the mat 12 portion. As such, the covers 14 prevent grease, food and other debris form contaminating the burners when not in use.

The user can place a standard cleaning solution onto the mat 12 and wipe in order to clean the same. Further, the stovetop guard 11 can be cleaned with soap and water if desired and can also be placed within a standard laundry machine for the thorough washing thereof. The mat 12 can be made in various shapes such as circular or square in order to accommodate various types of stoves. The mat 12 portion and covers of the stovetop guard 11 are substantially flexible in structure to allow for easy handling thereof and accommodation to the stovetop to which it is applied. The stovetop guard 11 can be easily stored in a closet, underneath a bed and can be transported as needed.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. A stovetop guard, comprising: a mat, said mat having a first side and a second side, said mat being substantially planar in structure and having at least one cutout disposed thereon, wherein said cutout is adapted to allow a burner of a stove to extend therethrough; one or more removable covers removably securable to said at least one cutout.
 2. The stovetop guard of claim 1, wherein said at least one cutout comprises a fastener on a perimeter thereof adapted to engage with a fastener on said one or more removable covers.
 3. The stovetop guard of claim 2, said fastener on said at least one cutout being hook and loop fastening material.
 4. The stovetop guard of claim 1, said mat being composed of a flexible material.
 5. The stovetop guard of claim 2, said fastener on said at least one cutout being an adhesive.
 6. The stovetop guard of claim 2, said fastener on said at least one cutout being a magnet.
 7. The stovetop guard of claim 1, wherein said mat is composed of a heat resistant material. 